1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in massage tables and more particularly pertains to a new and improved massage table which includes the use of cam driven force applicators wherein lifter bars are positioned between the cam members and lift rods associated with the applicators, thereby to effect a desired massaging action to a person reclining on the table.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of massage tables which include the use of automatic massage applicators for achieving a desired massaging action is well known in the art. In this respect, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,406, which issued to Kunce on Sept. 2, 1969, wherein there is disclosed a therapeutic couch having a soft, flexible pad adapted to receive a human body in repose. The pad is supported by a series of spaced, transverse, rotatable, elongated eccentric members which, upon simultaneous rotation serially in opposite directions from a central drive member, impart an undulating, wave-like massaging action to a body. While being effective in performing its desired function, the Kunce couch is of a complex and uneconomical construction inasmuch as the eccentric members are gear driven, each of such members having gears attached thereto while at least two additional gears are required between each of such members to effect the desired counter rotation. Such a construction can also be subject to maintenance problems due to the large number of gears utilized and the power required by the driving motor to effect the desired rotation thereof.
There has been at least one attempt to develop a physiotherapy apparatus which utilizes cam driven reciprocable manipulating members in combination with a massage table. In this respect, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,298,363, which issued to Parkin on Jan. 17, 1967, wherein there is disclosed a massage table that includes manipulating members secured to reciprocable rods, with such rods being reciprocable in response to the rotation of cams in contact with bearing members on bottommost portions of the rods. However, the Parkin apparatus is also of a complicated and uneconomical construction inasmuch as the same utilizes a complex and bulky toggle mechanism to effect the transfer of motion from the cams to the manipulating members. As such, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need in the art for new and improved massage tables which are of a simple and economical construction and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.